The Board granted an initial rating of 20 percent for mechanical low back pain, effective July 30, 1999. Service connection was established for syncope and numbness and weakness of both arms and hands secondary to service-connected mechanical low back pain.
The deciding factor: VA treatment records showed that the veteran had chronic lumbar strain with intermittent pain in his lower back and thoracic spine. The September 2001 VA examination confirmed current symptoms including right upper extremity numbness and weakness, which were attributed to his service-connected mechanical low back pain.
- Claimed conditions
- Mechanical low back pain, Syncope, Numbness and weakness of both arms and hands
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- 20%
- Decision date
- March 6, 2006
- Citation
- 0606341
Veterans Law Judge
Decisions by this judge: 493 · Granted: 28% (granted or partly granted, in the vetted decisions on this site)
Judge attribution: 2025 complete; earlier years partial.
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 0606341.
What this means for you
A grant means the Board agreed the veteran was entitled to the benefit. Decisions like this show the kind of evidence and arguments that tend to succeed for claims like it.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence and a potential error in decision-making. The AOJ is required to provide complete notice of the decision, address all relevant evidence including billing information, and re-adjudicate the claim under section 1725.
- Granted
The Board has granted service connection for hand tremors and insomnia, but denied service connection for muscle pain disorder, joint pain disorder, right lower extremity neurological disorder, left lower extremity neurological disorder, chronic fatigue disorder, digestive disorder, and syncope.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the cases for further development, including obtaining SSA records beyond medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess syncope associated with DM and hypertension.
- Denied
The Board denied the appeal for service connection of mechanical low back pain, finding no current disability and concluding that the March 1999 rating decision was not clearly and unmistakably erroneous.
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